Iraqi Airways resumes Bahrain flights

Manama, September 3, 2009

Iraqi Airways will resume flights to Bahrain for the first time in nearly 20 years today.

Civil Aviation officials confirmed Iraq Transportation Under-Secretary Adnan Al Abeidi would be among a delegation of top officials travelling to Manama.

The airline's fleet was grounded by United Nations (UN) sanctions in 1991 after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

A ceremony will take place at Bahrain International Airport's VIP Lounge at 11am to mark the occasion and will be attended by Civil Aviation Affairs Under-Secretary Captain Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Gaoud.

The resumption of flights is part of an air transportation agreement between Bahrain and Iraq to boost trade and tourism links with the Gulf.

Iraqi Airways, founded in 1945, is one of the oldest airlines in the Middle East.

According to its website, it re-launched international operations in 2004 with a flight between Baghdad and Amman, Jordan and has operated commercial domestic flights since 2006.

The news comes only a day after Gulf Air resumed flights to Iraq with a five-times weekly service.

More than 90 passengers, including businessmen, government officials and journalists flew to the Iraqi capital on Tuesday for a whistle-stop visit of Baghdad International Airport.

Gulf Air suspended commercial flights to the country in 1991 but continued to run cargo operations until the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.-TradeArabia News Service